OpenAI claims AI solves Navier-Stokes puzzle, igniting debate over data use

OpenAI announced a breakthrough on the Navier-Stokes Millennium Prize Problem, claiming 10,000 autonomous AI agents solved it in 88 hours with verification by GPT-6 Astra in about 17 hours. The claim has sparked controversy over potential data reuse from rival researchers and questions about how the work was produced, while OpenAI denies using others’ data and says it cannot fully rule out influences. The prize is $1 million, though OpenAI says it does not intend to claim it. The episode highlights AI’s accelerating role in mathematics and the ongoing safety and ethics debate surrounding AI research.